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Broken River

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NameBroken RiverDescriptionThe Broken River viaduct, 12 miles from Springfield, is one of the most picturesque bridges on the Midland Line and is a standard 'photo stop'. Like the Staircase Gully viaduct, it was built by the English company, the Cleveland Bridge and Engineering Ltd., although the Public Works department made the foundations. It is 183ft high and 448ft long with two spans of 20ft, six of 36ft and one of 192ft.

The northern side of the viaduct was a railhead between 29 October 1906 when the viaduct was completed and 12 December 1910 when the line was completed to Cass. The station sits in an area which had been carved out of the hillside, with the river a sheer drop of nearly a couple of hundred feet below it.

The station was built by John Forbes of Cust for the sum of 1,431 pounds, his tender being accepted in October 1906. In October 1909 the Station and yard were badly damaged by heavy rain and snow. The station yard was flooded to a depth of some two feet, and the line only just laid beyond the Broken River Station was washed out in several areas and sleepers lost into the river below.

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PlaceSpringfieldStaircase GullyCass

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Broken River